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CANTON, Ohio (AP) -Cornerback Darrell Green and receivers Cris Carter and Herman Moore were among 124 modern-era players, coaches, and contributors on the preliminary list of nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2008.

Previously, the senior committee nominated Marshall Goldberg and Emmitt Thomas. Goldberg, a multipurpose back, was a two-way star with the Chicago Cardinals from 1939-1943 and following World War II from 1946-48. Thomas, an all-league cornerback, starred for 13 seasons (1966-1978) for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Voters will choose 25 candidates from that group as semifinalists; that list will be announced late in November. From there, the list will be pared to 15 finalists, who will be considered at the selection committee's meetings during Super Bowl week.

At least four and no more than seven nominees will be elected on the day before the Super Bowl.

To be considered for Hall of Fame election, a player or coach must have been retired at least five years. A contributor - someone who has made outstanding career contributions to pro football in capacities other than playing or coaching - may still be active in his pro football career.

IRVING, Texas -- Wearing jeans and an untucked Dallas Cowboys golf shirt, Tony Romo treated Tuesday as if it was any other day of work.

Well, there were a few difference. Such as the fact he brought mom and dad to team headquarters.

And the six-year, $67.5 million contract he showed up to sign.

On one of the biggest days of his life, Romo remained the average guy he's been since joining the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent five years ago. He said he was humbled by the $11.5 million signing bonus and by cementing a spot in the lineage of Don Meredith-to-Roger Staubach-to-Troy Aikman, but he also insisted the only thing that's going to change is his tax bracket.

Want proof? He's even planning to keep his apartment -- and his roommate -- despite having the third-highest annual salary among NFL quarterbacks, ahead of Tom Brady and Brett Favre.

"I never really thought this was a goal along the way. I still don't necessarily perceive it as a goal, but it's something really neat that I get to experience," Romo said, flashing the dimpled aw-shucks grin that's helped him land dates with gorgeous actresses and singers.

"It's special just to be a part of this. The best feeling by far is that the organization, the Jones family, our coaches and everyone say, 'Hey, you're our guy. You're the guy we want to go to the next level with. We want to get back to the Super Bowl around here and win these things.' That means everything, more than the money ever could."

ESPN Radio: Patrick Crayton

Cowboys receiver Patrick Crayton on why we should buy the Cowboys as the best team in the NFC, Tony Romo, T.O., Britney Spears and more. Listen

If Romo's attitude seems too good to be true, there's a good reason for it. The story of how he got to this point fits the same description.

Undrafted out of college, he turned down $25,000 signing bonuses elsewhere and took $10,000 from the Cowboys because he liked his chances of beating out the competition. Before last season, his fourth, he still hadn't thrown a pass, but asked for a multimillion-dollar contract as a challenge to his bosses, telling them the more they paid him, the more likely they were to play him.

He got the deal and, eventually, the playing time. The contract numbers show he's made the most of it.

"You can either do this or you can't," he said. "I didn't know if I was, but I put myself in position to succeed."

Romo thought about what the big contract means while sitting in bed Monday night. It was still on his mind when he woke up Tuesday morning. By the time he met the media in the afternoon, he had it sorted out.

"It almost feels like we accomplished something here today, but it doesn't," he said. "This sets you up financially and does all the things that you somewhat hoped for in life, but you don't set it out as a goal when you start out as a football player. This is something that more or less comes along the way."

Team owner Jerry Jones called Romo "the man for the 2000s," adding, "I wouldn't have done this if I didn't think he gives us a chance to win Super Bowls."

It took a while for him to come to that conclusion.

Jones' hesitations started during the 2003 draft, when then-offensive coordinator Sean Payton lobbied hard for Romo. Jones figured it was because they went to the same school, Eastern Illinois.

Once Romo arrived, the Cowboys went through Quincy Carter, Chad Hutchinson, Vinny Testaverde and Drew Bledsoe before turning to him last October.

Romo started 5-1, setting records and turning heads. He got Dallas into the playoffs, then knocked the team out by flubbing the hold of a short field goal in Seattle. He revealed more of his character with how he responded: crying and apologizing to teammates that night, then weeks later asking to be the holder at the Pro Bowl.

By then, Jones believed in Romo enough not to draft Brady Quinn when he had the chance in April -- but not enough to offer a big contract without seeing him play more.

Forced to earn his money, Romo did. The Cowboys are 6-1, tied for tops in the NFC, and have the conference's No. 1 offense. Romo has the most yards passing and touchdowns in the NFC.

"It is a feel-good story," coach Wade Phillips said. "The best part of the story is he's a great person, a great guy to be around. He doesn't have an ego bigger than the team. The great ones I've been around -- the John Elways, the Jim Kellys -- it's the same way."

Romo has shown off his arm with a club-record four 300-yard games and his feet with a wild scramble for a first down on a snap that went over his head and rolled 33 yards behind him. He also found a way to win in Buffalo despite committing six turnovers.

Jones also likes that Romo has remained grounded while holding one of the most high-profile jobs in U.S. pro sports. Don't believe it? Well, "Entertainment Tonight" sent a reporter to Tuesday's news conference to ask Romo about bumping into Britney Spears in Los Angeles a few days ago.

"Having all the adulation and interest, how do you handle that? I've seen doctors, lawyers, older, more-seasoned people blow their whole families up over a little success," Jones said. "He's handled it really well."

Combine it all and you understand why Jones likes knowing Romo will be the face of the franchise in 2009, when the Cowboys move into a $1 billion, 100,000-seat stadium, a rendering of it serving as a backdrop for Tuesday's announcement.

It was no coincidence.

"I told our guys to put that behind us," Jones said, "because Tony coming in for the long term is very symbolic of what we're doing."

But it will this Sunday in Indianapolis. Two teams with records of 7-0 or better will meet for the first time in NFL history – the New England Patriots (8-0) at the Indianapolis Colts (7-0).

“It will be a circus,” says Colts head coach TONY DUNGY.

Wrong, Coach. It’s already a circus! It is hard to recall a regular-season game that was talked and written about two weeks before it was played. But that’s what has happened for Pats-Colts (CBS, 4:15 PM ET).

“A Week Before Showdown with New England, Colts Must Beat Panthers on Short Week,” said the Associated Press on October 25.

Usually, stories about a team’s next opponent don’t start until perhaps the Wednesday before the game. Not this week.

“Don’t Try to Stop Us; It’s Officially Time to Start the Hype Machine,” said the Indianapolis Star this Monday. “Dream Game Finally Here,” blared the Boston Herald the same day.

The matchup has all the attributes of a classic: last season’s Super Bowl winner against the team that has won it three times in the decade…the league’s top two teams in net points…quarterbacks tied for the most wins since realignment in 2002 – TOM BRADY and PEYTON MANNING (67 apiece)…and opponents that have met seven times in the past four years, including three times in the playoffs.

Everybody will be ready. “You play football for competition, the level of intensity,” says Patriots defensive lineman RICHARD SEYMOUR. “When you have a chance to play against the best team in football, you get excited about it.”

As the NFL reaches the mid-point of its season in Week 9, here are some of the key games:

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (8-0) at INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (7-0)

STORYLINE: The Perfect Bowl!

The Dome will be rocking! What can New England do to take some of the decibels out of those voices? What it has done in all eight of its 2007 games -- score on its first drive, the only team in the NFL to do so in every game this year. The Patriots have scored an opponent-deflating 79 points in the first quarter this season, while giving up only seven points in the period.

Of course, that’s a huge hurdle for any opponent, but if anybody can parry such an opening salvo, it’s Indianapolis. Last season in the AFC Championship Game, it went into the half down 21-6 to New England before outgaining the Patriots 311-149 in total yards in the second half during an 18-point comeback for a 38-34 win.

But who knows what will happen Sunday with these two opportunistic teams? They are tied for the league lead in turnover differential with a plus-11.

PATS-COLTS FACTOID

NFL NETWORK TREATS IT LIKE A MID-SEASON SUPER BOWL: NFL Network will broadcast 36-and-a-half hours of coverage surrounding this Sunday’s Patriots-Colts game, a record for the network for a non-Super Bowl game.

One of the key battles will come between New England’s receivers and Indy’s No. 1 NFL pass defense, led by havoc-causing S BOB SANDERS. The Patriots have two receivers in the top five in NFL catches – WES WELKER (tie, No. 2, 56) and RANDY MOSS (No. 4, 47). They have combined with DONTÉ STALLWORTH for a total of 20 TD receptions.

The Colts hope to get WR MARVIN HARRISON (knee) back this week to prevent the Pats from ganging up on REGGIE WAYNE (fourth in the NFL with 668 yards). New England has added to its arsenal with the return of RB LAURENCE MARONEY (75 yards last week). The Colts, on the other hand, have the league’s top TD rusher, JOSEPH ADDAI (7). These guys always seem to have the answers!

Hey, I like Mike Silver's work more than most for personal reasons, plus he's good. But Sil really messed up on Randy Moss. I told him before the start of the year Moss would do well in New England, but Silver remained stuboorn.

Former USC and Heisman Trophy-winning running back Reggie Bush and his family are being sued by the co-founder of a failed sports marketing agency, according to a filing Tuesday in San Diego County Court.

The lawsuit, filed by attorneys for New Era Sports & Entertainment co-founder Lloyd Lake, alleges Bush and his family failed to repay a wide array of benefits they received from New Era while Bush played for the Trojans. One of Lake's attorney's, Paul Wong, said that in addition to filing the suit, Lake has agreed to meet with NCAA investigators this week to discuss Bush's involvement with New Era Sports.

"I believe the complaint speaks for itself," Wong said. "… We're looking forward to meeting with the NCAA on Friday. Beyond that, I'm not at liberty to discuss any details."

Bush's attorney, David Cornwell, did not return a phone message seeking comment.

Tuesday's filing purports that from November 2004 through January 2006, Bush and his family received cash, a vehicle and shelter as well as labor, material and services tied to New Era Sports – the agency that expected to represent the USC star when he declared for the NFL draft. The suit places the total value of the benefits extended to Bush, now in his second season with the New Orleans Saints, and his family at just over $291,000.

The suit also claims to have written communication from Bush that promises to repay some of the benefits, stating "On January 14, 2006, Defendant Reginald Bush – reaffirmed his commitment to repay (Lake) in a written communication."

If it is determined by the NCAA and Pac-10 Conference that Bush or his family received extra benefits, he would be in violation of NCAA rules. In accordance to NCAA bylaws, Bush's amateur status could be retroactively voided, prompting USC to forfeit games from the 2004 and 2005 seasons, including its latest national championship. Bush's 2005 Heisman Trophy could also be in jeopardy. Per the language on the Heisman ballot, any winner of the award "must be in compliance with the bylaws defining an NCAA student-athlete."

USC director of sports information Tim Tessalone declined to comment and referred questions to university general counsel Todd Dickey.

Among the other significant points in Tuesday's filing:

• The suit seeks to recoup benefits doled out "between November, 2004, through January, 2006, for work, labor, services, materials, goods, a vehicle, and shelter rendered at the special instance and request of Bush and his family." It also seeks to recover an unspecified amount of cash given to Bush and his family during that same period.

• The suit also alleges that Bush's family "expressly stated, in a meeting with (Lake) and NEW ERA SPORTS in October, 2004, and again in November, 2004, that they had fallen on hard times financially and required immediate and significant financial assistance to support their respective lifestyles, including, but not limited to, payment of living and travel expenses of Defendants LaMar Griffin and Denise Griffin (Bush’s parents) as well as living and lifestyle expenses of Defendant Reginald Bush. At said meetings, Defendants expressly and unequivocally, stated and promised that they were borrowing from (Lake) and NEW ERA SPORTS only and that they would not borrow money or accept monies from any other person or entity without expressly notifying (Lake) in advance."

• The suit charges a breach of agreement due to Bush's family receiving benefits from a third party, stating that Bush's family "secretly received payments, in direct violation of Defendants' promises to (Lake) and New Era Sports, from at least one person sometime around late October, 2005. In particular, said person paid for the airfare sometime around October 26, 2005, and hotel expenses of Defendants LaMar Griffin and Denise Griffin along with (Bush's younger brother) when they traveled to Oakland from San Diego between November 11 to November 13. Defendants suppressed and concealed all knowledge and information of said payments from (Lake) and New Era Sports as such information and knowledge would immediately end any further cash advances."

Yahoo! Sports first reported in September 2006 that the airfare and limousine service for Bush's parents and younger brother for USC's game against Cal on Nov. 12, 2005 were paid for on the credit card of Jamie Fritz, an employee of Bush's current marketing agent, Mike Ornstein. Ornstein initially told Yahoo! Sports that he did not pay for the plane tickets. Ornstein then said Fritz might have paid for the tickets but was repaid by the Bush family. Fritz declined to comment when contacted by Yahoo! Sports.

In Friday's scheduled meeting with the NCAA, Lake could reveal a variety of information, from receipts, bank and phone records, as well as taped conversations between himself, Bush and Bush's stepfather LaMar. Sources say the recordings were made as Bush's agreement to sign with New Era Sports began to fall apart in December 2005.

Lake co-founded New Era Sports along with San Diego businessman Michael Michaels in late 2004. Bush was expected to sign with New Era Sports and become an eventual partner in the entity when he left USC, according to Lake and Michaels. But the deal fell apart and New Era Sports failed, leading both Lake and Michaels to seek a return of the benefits they say they had provided to Bush and his family. Sources have told Yahoo! Sports that Michaels has already received a settlement from Bush for between $200,000 and $300,000 for his part of the failed deal. Sources also informed Yahoo! Sports that a similar settlement attempt with Lake failed over the summer.

Although Lake's suit does not break down specific dollar amounts paid to Bush and his family, an eight-month investigation by Yahoo! Sports published in September 2006 showed Bush's family lived in a house purchased by Michaels. The family lived in the new $757,000 home rent free for a year, starting in April 2005. One of Lake's attorneys, Brian Watkins, eventually stated that the rent on the home came to more than $50,000. The family was eventually evicted from the residence.

The 2006 Yahoo! Sports report disclosed that Bush received more than $12,000 in cash from Lake for the purchase of a 1996 Impala SS. Bush received approximately another $4,000 from Lake to equip the car with high-performance rims, a stereo system and alarm.

In addition, Yahoo! Sports reported that Bush and his family also received multiple cash payments for travel and other expenses, including furniture for the home Michaels purchased.

Sources close to the failed New Era Sports & Entertainment venture said Bush and his family demanded payments be made in cash, to keep the transactions hidden from NCAA scrutiny. Payments were said to have been made in person to Bush's parents in San Diego, while Lake would personally drive to Los Angeles to deliver monthly payments to Bush at his apartment near the USC campus.

Jason Cole and Charles Robinson are national NFL writers for Yahoo! Sports.